Between Two Waters: A Performance

The second event Future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) conversation explores the delicate and intricately evolving relationship between humans and machines, through a dynamic dance between a dancer and a soft robot as the focal point. The representation of robots in art and media is often limited to their portrayal in science fiction, but this performance aims to challenge that narrative by depicting robots in unconventional, non-technological forms.

The performance delves into the complex process of human-machine coexistence and understanding, exploring the relationship between the dancer and the robot as one of continuous learning, acceptance, rejection, and reunion. Through this process of navigating each other’s spaces and understanding their unique capabilities the audience is offered a powerful metaphor for how humans and machines can learn to coexist and accept one another in the world.

This thought-provoking performance is the result of a collaborative effort between the University of Edinburgh and the University of Lille INRIA Centre and is brought to life by an interdisciplinary collective of scientists, roboticists, and designers: Alexandre Colle, Designer in Residence for Design Informatics, Camila Jimenez Pol, multidisciplinary designer and head of product at Konpanion, as creative directors, and Ruby Marshall, Lecturer in Soft Robotics and musician, as music and sound director. Their collaborative work enhances the multi-disciplinary nature and explorative narrative of the project, inviting the audience to be fully immersed within the performance environment. The production of the performance benefits from the technical expertise of engineers Spyridon Vlachos, Yordan Ysvetkov and Mark Kobine and the costume design by Kyle Cheldon Barnett.

Between Two Waters features a specially composed organic score produced through a collaboration between Ruby Marshall, harpist, and Sarian Martell, a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and experimental composer based in York.

This harmonious collaboration between the arts and science results in a unique and captivating performance that invites audiences to contemplate the future of human-machine relationships and the role that technology will play in our lives.

Madeline Squire is a choreographer and dance artist based in the UK. She explores how her own experience with disability can stimulate creative approaches to her work. Madeline trained at Highgate Ballet School, Cecchetti Associates, Central School of Ballet Associates and was part of the CAT program at The Place, London Contemporary Dance School. At sixteen, she started at the English National Ballet School. She joined Scottish Ballet two years later in 2014 and began her professional career.  

In 2017, Madeline had a sudden isolated neurological attack and became unable to feel her hands and lost motion in her legs. Through rehabilitation she regained movement and returned to the stage. Some “limitations” remain in her left leg, but rather than looking at these negatively, Madeleine uses this experience to explore creativity and versatility into her work. 

In 2019 Madeline was commissioned to choreograph Scottish Ballet’s first digital season, in collaboration with artist in residence Zachery Eastwood-Bloom. In 2021, she became the first Female Drosselmeyer in the Scottish Ballet’s Nutcracker, a role normally performed by a male dancer.

Lynne Craig’s practice connects design, technology, education, and business development; exploring the frontiers of emergent technologies and cultural change. Throughout her career she has built businesses, created products, designed systems for global audiences, and continues to reimagine what the role of ‘making’ in design, education and business looks like for tomorrow. Current roles include Senior Lecturer and Programme Director MA Design Informatics at University of Edinburgh. Previously Founder and Director of Digital Anthropology Lab, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, UAL, where she pioneered novel play-based design and engineering programs for fashion, launching industry challenges, investigating, ‘draped interfaces,’ IoT and collaborative digital performance.  

The in-person event will be live streamed and is open to all. Tickets to the in-person event are available on a first come, first serve basis and must be booked in advance.